Sturgis' Big Idea
by ShipperChicklet
Summary: Sturgis risks his life for the better of mankind. J/K Sturgis tells Harm a big secret that changes Harm's life forever. Harm/Mac


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Sturgis' Big Idea

DISCLAIMER: I DON"T OWN THEM!!!!

Author E-mail: Runawayhill2@aol.com

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1750 ZULU

Falls Church, Virginia

JAG Headquarters

Sturgis sat, staring at Mac in disbelief. The words flew out of her mouth before she knew it and he couldn't pretend he didn't know.

Mac slowly turned on her heel and walked back over to her desk and sat down behind it. "You cannot tell anyone what I just said, is that understood?" Sturgis nodded and left.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*After Harm's return~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Hey Sturgis, You seen Harm today?" Mac asked poking her head in his office. "Don't forget about our secret either." He looked up from his file as she spoke.

"He's not in his office? Maybe he is in with Chegwidden." He turned back to his file and began working again as she left.

She walked towards her office as Harm came out of the Admiral's office. She stopped where she was to wait for him. "Your, file." She said handing it to him as he walked up beside her.

"Thank you, Mac. Is Sturgis home? I have to work with him on a follow-up case."

"Yeah, he was busy though. Had his nose stuck into a file."

"Thanks, bye for now."

"Bye, fly-boy." She said walking off to her office.

Harm headed to Sturgis' office and knocked on the door frame.

"Hey, dude. Come on in. What can I do for you?"

"Admiral Chegwidden assigned us to do this follow-up, because the civilian who filed it didn't do it right, at least he got sent somewhere else. Well should we get to work?"

  
"Yeah, close the door. So what case?"

"Lt. Jacob Parsons', the kid charged with conduct unbecoming, and dereliction of duty. Poor guy, would have had one hell of a career as a Navy Strategist. You ever seen his work?"

"Can't say that I have."

"We had it out at sea, more accurate than anything I can ever recall using."

"He would have had, so where do we start?" Sturgis asked hoping it wasn't the beginning.

"The beginning," he laughed as Sturgis' face paled "no, umm post court."

"You, seem to have shifted back into gear well."

"Feels like I never left."

"What's going on between you and Mac?"

"Nothing." Harm said not making eye contact

"Harm, that is not a good answer. The tension between you two can be cut with a knife."

"What _are_ you asking, exactly?"

"What is going on between you two? Simple question, complex answer, and I want to hear it. So spill it, man."

"I.... I don't know." he said through his hands.

"Now we are getting somewhere. Why don't you know?"

"Sturgis, it's.... like..... I....... I love her." he mumbled, risking a glance up at him Harm saw something that frightened him. Sturgis had this look on his face that said 'I-know-and-I bet- everyone-else-does-too,-but-my-lips-are-sealed'.

"Well, now that explains a whole hell of a lot. So what's stopping you from telling her?"

"She doesn't....." Harm started only to be interrupted.

"I'm about to tell you something that will land my ass in a coma. She _does_. Oh, god I just signed my death certificate. If she finds out what I just told you, lets just say I won't be here much longer." The smile on Ham's face, told Sturgis he risked his life for the greater good. "I'll do this, go on."

"Thanks, man" he got up and left heading straight for Mac's office. He knocked on her door.

"Come in." Mac noticed the strange look on Harm's face, and wondered what had happened.

"You want to come to lunch with me?" Harm blurted after he shut the door.

"Sure," she answered hesitantly "I just have a couple of things to finish. Half hour?"

"Okay." he said turning to leave.

"Hey, wanna help?" she asked hoping to get whatever it was out of him.

"Sure, where do I start?" he said plopping down into a chair.

She handed him a file and told him to sign the bottom after he read through it. "So, where we eating? As usual I'm starved." she asked as she quickly skimmed the file and signed the bottom.

"Mona's cool with you? Not many people will be there, because this will be that not quite lunch not quite dinner hour."

"I'm so there best burgers this side of the beltway." she said smiling at Harm's paled face.

" I swear, you are going to die at an early age because of a heart attack."

"I'll die, happy then." she lied covering it up nicely.

In about five minutes, they were finished. They told Tiner they were headed off base to lunch and if the Admiral needed those reports then her office was unlocked.

1835 ZULU

Falls Church, Virginia

Mona's Diner

They walked into the sparsely populated diner and saw Avel back in the kitchen. Jean was out at another table, tending to a customer.

"Allo, Avel. Haven't seen you in a while are you doing good?" Mac asked leaning against the counter.

"Allo, Sara. Da, and you?"

"Good. Hey, Jean how are you?"

"I'm good, the back table is empty. You know where it is, we keep it clear for when you military folks come in."

Harm laughed at Jean's joke, and lead Mac back to the table.

"So, let me guess a cheeseburger and a salad?"

"No, two salads. Gonna humor him." she said jerking her thumb at Harm.

"Unsweetened tea, and Mac what do you want?"

"Water."

"Alright I'll have your food to you in a minute." Jean said as she turned to leave.

"So tell me what has you on cloud nine?" Mac asked after Jean was gone.

"Uhhh, well uhh I realized something today. An epiphany of sorts."

"Care to share?"

"Not, here. Oh, that was quick Jean, thanks." Harm said accepting his salad and tea.

"Thanks Jean." Mac said taking hers. "So why not here?" Mac asked after Jean left again.

"To important, now lets eat fast so we can go somewhere to talk." They quickly finished eating and went to pay. They quietly drove to a field nearby. They walked out to the area of picnic tables to sit down.

Mac sensed whatever it was, was very serious. She knew not joke and to let him say whatever he had to. "Okay, I'm listening." she said as she sat down on a picnic table.

Harm moved in front of her and started pacing. "There is no easy way to say this. I could be blunt but that wouldn't be fair. If I try to draw it out..."

"Ham just say it," she said extending an arm to stop him in front of her.

"Okay, uhh I told Sturgis something today I hadn't even told myself yet. I am in love," Mac's face dropped but not enough to notice, "with you." He risked a glance up and saw Mac was smiling and crying at the same time. Harm looked away embarrassed. "I shouldn't have said.." 

"Harm," Mac interrupted, "I love you too." she lifted his head up with her hand and looked deep into his eyes.

"You, love me?" Mac nodded.

"So much more than I thought was humanly possible." She stood up in front of him and just stared. Slowly Harm leaned forward waiting for any sign to stop. He received none.

Mac got tired of waiting for him, wrapped her arms around his neck, pulled him down and crushed her lips against his. Harm pulled her closer and deepened the kiss. When they needed to breathe too much they just rested their foreheads against each other.

"What is the Admiral going to say, not to mention Harriet?" he said laughing. "I think I may have just terminated my career in the Navy, but it was worth it. Damn well worth it," he said as he captured her lips again.

"Yeah, it was. Lunch is almost over, we should really head back now."


End file.
